An exploratory study of the pathways into homelessness among of foreign-born and Canadian-born families: a timeline mapping approach

Despite the growing number of foreign-born homeless families in Canada, few studies have investigated their experiences prior to becoming homeless. To address this gap, this study explored the pathways into homelessness for foreign-born families and compared these pathways to those of Canadian-born families. Timeline mapping and in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 foreign-born and 13 Canadian-born homeless families residing in emergency family shelters. Findings showed that there was greater diversity in the homeless pathways of foreign-born families than Canadian-born families. Foreign-born families discussed the impact their immigration experiences had on their financial and housing instability and how social isolation, traumatic experiences, and the difficult emotions associated with fleeing an unsafe country made life before homelessness even more challenging. Canadian-born families spoke about their experiences with poverty, homelessness, and housing instability - all of which started during childhood. They navigated these challenges while dealing with the loss of relationships, health issues, family separation, and violence. Despite these differences, both groups reported similar service experiences and structural and systemic barriers to stable housing.